MANKATO-Minn. The Mankato MoonDogs hopes of a fifth straight win at Franklin Rogers Park were dashed as they fell to the Eau Claire Express 4-1 on Saturday night. Mankato struggled to find offense throughout the game, managing just five hits and one run.

The Express started the offense in the second inning when Tyler Hermann led off with a solo home run off MoonDogs starting pitcher Cord Cockrell.  Two pitches later, Lane Milligan put one over the left field fence to make it 2-0 Express.

Cockrell settled down and pitched well in innings three through five but got in trouble again in the sixth when he walked lead-off hitter Tyler Hermann. Then Lane Milligan hit a single and advanced to second on a Tyler Sullivan error in center field. A single by Brent Gibbs scored Hermann to make it 3-0.

The MoonDogs finally found the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth when Brett Synek tagged a ball to left center off the wall for a double. David Petrino followed with a line drive double to right center field, scoring Synek.

It was too little, too late though and the MoonDogs couldn’t muster any more of a ninth inning rally in front of a Mankato crowd of 847. Mankato falls to .500 with a 6-6 record in the Northwoods League North Division while the Eau Claire Express improved their record to 8-4. Eau Claire starting pitcher Jordan Ruckman picked up the win going six full innings and giving up two hits, two walks, and zero earned runs. Cord Cockrell took the loss for Mankato.

The MoonDogs will be back in action in Rochester for a two game series at Mayo Field before returning home for an eight game home stand at Franklin Rogers Park. All MoonDogs home and away contests can be heard on AM1230 The Fan Mankato, which the voice of the team, Josh Horton.